Is it OK to write emails in English when booking accommodation?

[Yoyu]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

 

[trecile]

You can, but it would be nice if you start with a greeting in Spanish, like Buenos días, and end with gracias.

 

[Bradypus]

On the rare occasions when I have had to email I have usually attached a translation of my message from Google Translate or similar. Keeping it short and to the point minimises the chance of misunderstanding.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

You can but the way that I look at it is that my goal is to communicate my desires in the most effective manner and so I do what @Bradypus suggests and write out my request in English and then use Google translate to translate it into Spanish and I always place the Spanish version first in any email or WhatsApp message.

 

[SabsP]

There is a great joy in learning a new language even if you are only able to communicate the basics.

 

[J Willhaus]

When I provide a translation, I usually apologize for the use of a translation app or for my poor Spanish (or both).

 

[alexwalker]

There is a great joy in learning a new language even if you are only able to communicate the basics.

I am so happy that I once attended an intensive Spanish school for 1 month in Alicante: It was tough, but afterwards (and now, after many years of Camino practise) I am able to communicate in (basic) Spanish. A relief.

 

[SabsP]

I am so happy that I once attended an intensive Spanish school for 1 month in Alicante: It was tough, but afterwards (and now, after many years of Camino practise) I am able to communicate in (basic) Spanish. A relief.

Exactly!
Here four years in adult class eveningschool.

 

[henrythedog]

All of the above is good advice.

Assuming you’re not adding any unusual requirements I’d suggest you just type your fairly straightforward message into Google translate or DeepL and copy and paste.

I’m ’functionally fluent’ in Spanish (B2, and proud of it) but still cross-check myself by typing anything important in Spanish into a translation app and see what it is in English!

 

[jsalt]

Forget emails, you are more likely to get a reply if you use Whatsapp, in Spanish.
Mobile numbers in Spain start with +34 (Spain’s dialing code) followed by: 6 . . .
It’s very easy, using Google Translate:

I would like to book one bed for one night Thursday 7 March.

Me gustaría reservar una cama para una noche el jueves 7 de marzo.

Then just put the reply into Google Translate to see what the answer is.
It is so much easier and quicker, and used much more in Spain, than emails.

 

[jungleboy]

I would like to book one bed for one night Thursday 7 March.

Me gustaría reservar una cama para una noche el jueves 7 de marzo.

While ‘cama’ does indeed mean bed and you will not be misunderstood if you use it as in this example, the term for a dorm/bunk bed in an albergue is ‘litera’.

 

[K_Lynn]

On the rare occasions when I have had to email I have usually attached a translation of my message from Google Translate or similar. Keeping it short and to the point minimises the chance of misunderstanding.

I've done the same and as a Canadian that needs to apologize when it is not required I usually include a line saying that it was translated by Google (or whatever app) and I am sorry for any mistakes made lol.

 

[PiesIrlandeses]

Avoid abbreviated dates when booking.

In Europe, 3/4 means 3 April, not 4 March.

That might be a problem if you are on the Camino on 4 March, and looking for a bed.

Write the month name to prevent misunderstandings.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

I run them through Google Translate -- I find that I get more fullsome responses (which I then have to run through Google Translate to understand, of course).

 

[alexwalker]

Fortunately, I can call and talk and reserve a bed in Spanish. For the life of it, I do not understand why you won't make the small effort to learn this. Learning a small piece of a foreign languge will enhance your life and make it better.

But it is a lost case I guess, as English is the dominant language. Too bad. Not even a language, but a mix of Norse (5.000 words), Latin and Spanish. While the Spanish language is beautiful in its variations and subtlenesses. But most people don't get it.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Fortunately, I can call and talk and reserve a bed in Spanish. For the life of it, I do not understand why you don't make the small effort to learn this.

For the life of me, I don't know why you have to be so judgmental.

I grew up in somthing of a bilingual house where I spoke mostly Spanish until I started going to school. I do know the basics. But it isn't a "small effort" to learn enough of a new language to transact business -- which is exactly what booking a bed or room is all about. You may have thought in your "basic" Spanish that you booked a private room but instead find yourself in a 20 person dorm room, or vice versa and now expected to shell out much more money than planned. (Note above how someone pointed out that the word for a bed in an albergue is different than what the ordinary translation would be). Or the owner might start asking you (as one did with me recently) a whole host of questions about whether I wanted breakfast included, if so whether I wanted a full breakfast, was there a chance that I would send a bag ahead (because the bag would have to be sent to the business next door), etc., and further went on to (very kindly) give me all sorts of information regarding the closest laundry, etc. Because I used Google Translate, I could understand everything in his email, and I could respond appropriately -- and start off the relationship between host and guest on a solid footing.

 

[trecile]

Fortunately, I can call and talk and reserve a bed in Spanish. For the life of it, I do not understand why you won't make the small effort to learn this. Learning a small piece of a foreign languge will enhance your life and make it better.

I completely agree with what @ShoshTrvls says here:

But it isn't a "small effort" to learn enough of a new language to transact business -- which is exactly what booking a bed or room is all about.

I can speak Spanish well enough to call and make a reservation, but it's often difficult to understand the other party without the benefit of body language.

I think that WhatsApp is possibly the best way to make reservations. You aren't interrupting anyone with a phone call, and you have a response in writing, and don't have to rely on what you think that you heard. Last year I stayed in an albergue above a bar on the Norte. The owner/hospitalera didn't want to be disturbed in the morning before 7am, but I heard a phone ring around 6:30, and went I went downstairs she was grumbling about peregrinos not being considerate when they called at such an hour.

 

[domigee]

I can speak Spanish well enough to call and make a reservation, but it's often difficult to understand the other party without the benefit of body language.

That made me laugh! I have no problems in Spanish but I have forgotten most of my German and know very little Italian... When in those countries, I knew enough to book a bed etc but... because my accent was ok and I said everything correctly, the people on the other end of the phone assumed I knew more than I did! Sometimes, they would respond with what sounded like 'my mother in law's cousin is the one who deals with bookings but she's been visiting an aunt in hospital so I'll ask her to phone you when she's back, to confirm'. Err???? Panic! lol
So better to start each phone call with "I know very little Spanish/German/Italian....', then they know ;-)

 

[MARSKA]

Fortunately, I can call and talk and reserve a bed in Spanish. For the life of it, I do not understand why you won't make the small effort to learn this. Learning a small piece of a foreign languge will enhance your life and make it better.

OMG! alexwalker, I usually mostly agree with your posts, but man o man. Not this one. Growing up in the USA I did not have a multi-lingual experience in childhood. My schools did not offer a single language class until HIGH SCHOOL, at which time I enrolled in Spanish and German. I continued with Spanish through college but....without opportunities for meaningful practice (at the time) and the challenges of working & raising kids it fell by the wayside - not because I wasn't interested.

I am exquisitely aware of, and pained by, my lack of language skills and the world I am missing because I am so limited.

Yes, I attend classes and take advantage of opportunities to practice. But it hurts to realize that I probably will never be fluent and never able to converse with a nonenglish speaking person on an advanced level. It is extremely difficult for me to make decent progress speaking and understanding (esp understanding) spanish. Please dont assume that I make no effort or that my effort is small, even though it may seem so to you.

 

[MARSKA]

Sorry - I was off topic according to the question asked by the OP. My apologies to Yoyu.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I think the OP kind of answered her own question. He/ she says " I dont want to come across as being disrectpectful" I think people should strive to being respectfull, it is clear that writing in the language of the receiver is the most respectfull. Posing the question proves that the OP is aware of that. Certainly in these times when it is easy to do so by using Google translate. By writing in english you 'put pressure" on the receiver to answer in english

 

[Robo]

To put this into another context, I get emails at work in many different languages.
Lots of Cantonese, Mandarin, Arabic and others......
Generally they are trying to sell me something.
Do I load it all into google translate to see what the message was about? No.
I ignore those messages. Sorry. I don't have the time or inclination to translate them.

Others have obviously made an attempt, recognising that I am an English speaker, not hard from our business website and all our social media accounts; to communicate in English. I appreciate that and respond accordingly.

The point?

If I am contacting a provider of products / services based in a non English speaking country, it is not hard these days to send a copy in the local language as well. Heck I connect with people on LinkedIn in many different languages like that.

So when I'm booking accommodation, I run my 'standard' request through google translate and send it in Spanish. Apologising for my poor Spanish. So email and whatsapp messages are not too hard. I use google translate to 'process' the replies as well.

Phoning is another step up though!

That took me a bit of preparation and courage!

I would write out my request in Spanish, including an apology for my poor Spanish.
And I would just read it as I was on the phone.
Interpreting the reply was a bit harder!
So I would have clarification questions / phrases ready to use.
Occassionally they would reply in English.

I managed...........just

Whatever our language ability, for me the key is to make some kind of effort however small.
It's always appreciated.

I think I might have told a story about my last visit to Santiago.

Having walked the VdlP and Invierno, I was used to asking for things in my very basic Spanish.
I didn't even try English..... (It's not like the Frances where English is often understood)
It just became habit.

So I wander into a bar near my Hotel in Santiago, working out how to ask a question in my head first.
I wanted to know what time they were open for breakfast.
So in my very bad Spanish I asked..........

The woman behind the counter said in perfect English..........with a big smile.

"If you want to practice your Spanish fine.........but this will go a lot faster in English"

With a sigh of relief I asked again in English.......

But the point was, I made an effort. Albeit a small and obviously incorrect one

 

[Kathor1]

When booking a bed or enquire about availability, the aim is to make yourself understood and to understand any replies. It is always easiest and fastest to write and read in your own language. The albergue or hotel staff receive dozens of requests. You write only one request to them. They deal with you in their professional capacity, you in your private capacity. You write in your leisure time, they read and reply during work time. You know nothing about their foreign language capabilities.

So do what has been suggested: Write your message in English, pass it through a translator app or website, copy-paste both texts into your email or other message and press send.

The advice for Americans to use 5 April instead of 4/5 is a good one. Another piece of advice: Write simple short sentences. This makes it more likely that the machine translation provides a decent result.

 

[Robo]

The advice for Americans to use 4 April instead of 4/3 is a good one. Another piece of advice: Write simple short sentences. This makes it more likely that the machine translation provides a decent result.

That's a great point @Kathar1na .
I take my time to make sure my English phrase, before translation, uses simple language, no slang, no colloquialisms, no ambiguity etc. i.e. Write like a 10 year old will understand it.
(A great copy writer gave me that advice years ago)

 

[Yoyu]

do what @Bradypus suggests and write out my request in English and then use Google translate to translate it into Spanish and I always place the Spanish version first in any email or WhatsApp message.

I certainly can. But the impression I got when I did this in the past was, that the person on the other end actually prefers receiving messages written in good English than badly translated, especially when they are used to dealing with questions asked in English.

When I was booking a surf school in Spain last year, I Google translated my question into Spanish and sent it over Whatsapp, and the person replied in English!

For the life of it, I do not understand why you won't make the small effort to learn this.

I don't know where you got the impression that I "don't make the small effort to learn this". I'm asking the question exactly because I'm making an effort. As @Kathar1na pointed out, "When booking a bed or enquire about availability, the aim is to make yourself understood and to understand any replies."

And thanks to @ShoshTrvls and @trecile for speaking for me. I didn't think this seemingly simple question could spark such a big discussion.

And thanks all. I get the general idea - businesses and albergues on the routes are used to dealing with English enquiries. When clarity is important, such as when booking accommodation, it's acceptable to write in English (@trecile 's advice is the most practical, thanks). Of course, we all should make an effort to respect the language and culture of other countries.



Btw,

To put this into another context, I get emails at work in many different languages.
Lots of Cantonese, Mandarin, Arabic and others......
Generally they are trying to sell me something.

Sorry, Robo. I don't believe you could receive emails written in Cantonese. Because Cantonese is not a written language (or it is, but only exists on social media, no one would write business emails like that).

 

[Robo]

Btw,

Sorry, Robo. I don't believe you could receive emails written in Cantonese. Because Cantonese is not a written language (or it is, but only exists on social media, no one would write business emails like that).

I stand corrected! I can't read them anyway, which was my point

 

[Sue127]

You can but the way that I look at it is that my goal is to communicate my desires in the most effective manner and so I do what @Bradypus suggests and write out my request in English and then use Google translate to translate it into Spanish and I always place the Spanish version first in any email or WhatsApp message.

Likewise

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Consider using this in your email. Copy and paste into a Translator first so you know what you are sending in an email.

Permítame reservar una cama para el 27 de marzo de 2024. Si se requiere pago por adelantado, vuelva a escribir. Y puedo proporcionar información de pago inmediatamente antes de la confirmación.

Any time you try to use Spanish in Spain, it will be appreciated and you will be respected for doing what you can to communicate.

 

[Liam55]

Hello from wee Ireland.

In my experience the best method of booking ahead is WhatsApp with the numbers on the wisepilgrim app. I send my message in both Google translated Spanish and English and it has proven very effective.
Thats it!!

 

[Sue127]

Fortunately, I can call and talk and reserve a bed in Spanish. For the life of it, I do not understand why you won't make the small effort to learn this. Learning a small piece of a foreign languge will enhance your life and make it better.

But it is a lost case I guess, as English is the dominant language. Too bad. Not even a language, but a mix of Norse (5.000 words), Latin and Spanish. While the Spanish language is beautiful in its variations and subtlenesses. But most people don't get it.

I'm trying hard to get it! On çamino now and can order food, reserve a bed, be polite and managing a few short sentences. My aim is to have learnt more before I return again. Just takes a bit of confidence to try. The saying "you learn by your mistakes", is correct.

 

[Pepper_E]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

As others have suggested, I always send messages/emails in both English and Spanish - leading with Spanish. Generally, the reply is in Spanish - thank you Google Translate.

 

[Bradypus]

Generally, the reply is in Spanish - thank you Google Translate.

It is an extraordinarily powerful tool. The results are not perfect but they are remarkably good. Even five years ago I was gobsmacked at watching a large and complicated panel of Japanese text transform into more-or-less comprehensible English in real time as I pointed my phone camera at it. Even faster and smoother now. Spanish is easy in comparison!

 

[Scott Fraser]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

Why not use Google Translate and cut and paste the Spanish translation into the email? Has worked well for me on numerous Caminos. Naturally you reverse the process when you get a reply.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

I write my message on Google translate and cut and paste the message. If they respond in Spanish, I cut and paste it into Google translate and read it. It feels respectful, takes 30 seconds.

 

[Gobsmacked by the World]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

I agree with others here, I always use Google Translate.
I keep my message very simple to avoid translation errors and I put the Spanish or French (for SJPDP or Orrison) and the English down below, I’ve even put in Euskara as a nod to a couple of locales.
Working in a hostel may not be the best paying job…so I wouldn’t presume them being able to hire polyglots.
That you’re even being considerate enough to ask the question though indicates that you’d make a great guest for them, or an Albergue-mate for the rest of us.

 

[KariC]

You can but the way that I look at it is that my goal is to communicate my desires in the most effective manner and so I do what @Bradypus suggests and write out my request in English and then use Google translate to translate it into Spanish and I always place the Spanish version first in any email or WhatsApp message.

Good idea. Free translation programs are getting better and better but aren't perfect. If you want to, copy and paste this to preface or follow the message:
" Esta traducción fue hecha por Google. Perdone cualquier errores."

 

[JabbaPapa]

On the Português or the Francès as well as on the more touristy areas of the other major routes, well : YES.

On the less travelled routes, I'd say make a phone call instead.

 

[JabbaPapa]

While ‘cama’ does indeed mean bed and you will not be misunderstood if you use it as in this example, the term for a dorm/bunk bed in an albergue is ‘litera’.

Hospitaleros and peregrinos have a strong tendency to use those words interchangeably.

Most often as a polite and fictitious "social upgrade" from bunk to bed, from respect and honour.

Hospitaleros and pilgrims who tell you that your bunk is a bed are simply being truthful.

 

[Itsnever2late]

You can but the way that I look at it is that my goal is to communicate my desires in the most effective manner and so I do what @Bradypus suggests and write out my request in English and then use Google translate to translate it into Spanish and I always place the Spanish version first in any email or WhatsApp message.

Exactly, also keep the sentences short and to the point to enhance the accuracy of the translation.

Too lazy to check the forum, but a suite of email and WhatsApp templates in Spanish and Portuguese, for booking accommodation, transfering luggage, restaurant reservations , notifying arrival times, etc, would be a great aid to the average pilgrim.

 

[andylm65]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

Perhaps plan it all out in advance with google translate or some App. Memorize what you can, practice it and go for it. Including an apology for limited fluency

 

[trecile]

Wise Pilgrim has a cool feature that will compose a message in Whatsapp in the appropriate language. I just wrote this post about how to use it on a different thread:

The Wise Pilgrim app has a feature that will compose a message for you in Spanish (or Portuguese or French, depending on the route), that makes it really easy.

You just long press on WhatsApp number.

View attachment 165850

Then you choose the date, number of people, and type of accommodation you are inquiring about.

View attachment 165851

And the message is created for you.

At this point I save the number to my contacts.

View attachment 165852

Which is really easy because all the information is already filled out.

View attachment 165853

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

The few times I sent emails to anyone in Spain, I would first compose them in English to ensure I was saying what I wanted to say and then copy it all into Google Translate and copy the Spanish version below the original English version and hope that Google Translate would at least communicate the essence of what I wanted to say. The process worked well and I never had any language miscommunications.

 

[WGroleau]

On the rare occasions when I have had to email I have usually attached a translation of my message from Google Translate or similar. Keeping it short and to the point minimises the chance of misunderstanding.

When doing so, it might be wise to reveal that it is from an auto-translator. Google is one of the better ones, but none of them can be trusted for anything important. They are getting good enough that sometimes the grammar is good enough to not give them away. But I have seen Google reverse the meaning by adding or deleting a negative word.

 

[WGroleau]

Exactly, also keep the sentences short and to the point to enhance the accuracy of the translation.

Too lazy to check the forum, but a suite of email and WhatsApp templates in Spanish and Portuguese, for booking accommodation, transfering luggage, restaurant reservations , notifying arrival times, etc, would be a great aid to the average pilgrim.

We hosted so many Korean pilgrims who could speak neither Spanish nor English that I prepared a two-column list of hospitalero sentences for the pilgrims or the other hospitaleros to point to. We always had staff who could get by in French, German, Dutch, English, Italian. Once we had a Chinese person with us. But never Korean (my Korean is so poor that I used the thing as well, after I got an English-speaking Korean to proofread it).

 

[Shazenalan]

I learnt how to say Hello, I’m sorry my Spanish is limited, do you have a double room for (state day) please? This is not difficult to learn - practice on the path - and without exception I got a warm response. After a few calls I learned what they would ask questions, ‘ two people? Name? ‘ I really enjoyed learning and connecting in this way - and would urge you to have a go and make it part of the Camino gift. PS - I did discover that my name ‘Sharon’ did not work though - so booked in my husband’s name - Alan instead. Burn Camino.

 

[Itsnever2late]

We hosted so many Korean pilgrims who could speak neither Spanish nor English that I prepared a two-column list of hospitalero sentences for the pilgrims or the other hospitaleros to point to. We always had staff who could get by in French, German, Dutch, English, Italian. Once we had a Chinese person with us. But never Korean (my Korean is so poor that I used the thing as well, after I got an English-speaking Korean to proofread it

Gam-sahab-nida

 

[trecile]

When doing so, it might be wise to reveal that it is from an auto-translator. Google is one of the better ones, but none of them can be trusted for anything important. They are getting good enough that sometimes the grammar is good enough to not give them away. But I have seen Google reverse the meaning by adding or deleting a negative word.

I will sometimes put the translated sentence or paragraph back through Google Translate to translate it back to English to see if it is still accurate.

 

[jsalt]

I did discover that my name ‘Sharon’ did not work though -

I have the same problem with "Jill", which seems to be unpronouncable in Spanish. So I book in the name of "Margaret", which they get straight away, and is the second forename on my passport. Anything to make booking easier.

 

[MassNative]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

Whenever I communicated with albergues or hostels via email or whatsapp, I typed my message in English. Then I used Google translate to generate a copy in Spanish, copied that into my message box and sent both versions.

I found most people replied in English. A few I needed to translate back into English.

Jim

 

[vwzoo]

Hi,

When contacting the albergues, is it generally OK to write emails in English? I don't want to come across as disrespectful.

Thanks,

I typed out my letters, converted to Spanish using Google translate. I would use Google translate on their Spanish letters converting them to English for me to read.

 

[WGroleau]

I have the same problem with "Jill", which seems to be unpronouncable in Spanish. So I book in the name of "Margaret", which they get straight away, and is the second forename on my passport. Anything to make booking easier.

My friend Barbara always used another name in Spanish-speaking areas. ¡Qué linda! is so much better than ¡Qué bárbara!